THE WESTERN BALKANS IN AN UNSTABLE WORLD ORDER: THE ROLE OF CHINA, THE EUROPEAN UNION AND RUSSIA

The growing competition among major powers in the Western Balkans is a topic requiring attention. The actions of non-Western powers aimed at creating a rebalanced world order are challenging the primacy of liberal values. In this article, we analyse what the race for dominance between the EU, Russia, and China means for the Western Balkans. These three major powers pursue different strategies for dominance in the region: the EU seeks to accelerate the accession of the candidate countries form the region, Russia employs cultural ties, while China leverages its economic position. Caught between different visions for the world order, the Western Balkans countries are facing the challenge of navigating different strategic choices.